Lemonade Scones Recipe | Cooking with Nana Ling

Lemonade scones are another great Aussie innovation, and this recipe is now one of the most popular ways to make this old-fashioned favorite.

Which isn’t surprising as these are wonderfully light and fluffy scones made with just 3 ingredients. And you don’t even need a scone cutter for this Easy Lemonade Scones recipe!

Lemonade in scones?

Exactly, lemonade! Just your regular lemonade soft drink from the supermarket. I generally use Kirks or Schweppes.

The lemonade, along with the cream, replaces the milk, butter, and sugar found in more traditional scone recipes.

The idea appears to have come from the ladies of the Australian Country Women’s Association (CWA), known for their wonderful scone making.

In 2020, CWA member Muriel Halsted’s version of the recipe went viral on social media, bringing the joy of lemonade scones to a whole new generation.

So yes. Lemonade in scones is one thing, and creating scones that will impress your guests. In fact, many people prefer this recipe to the traditional recipe.

I personally think the buttermilk scones still have a slight edge over these in terms of flavor and texture. However, lemonade scones are much easier to make. And as I mentioned above it’s just personal taste as some prefer this recipe.

Ingredients for lemonade scones

This recipe calls for:

• 1 cup cold lemonade
• 1 cup cold thickened cream (heavy cream)
• 3 cups SR flour.

If you don’t have SR or self-raising flour, just use 3 cups plain/all-purpose flour + 5 teaspoons baking powder.

You’ll also need some extra cream to coat the top of the scones before baking. And a little more flour to dust off your kitchen bench.

How to make lemonade scones

When making scones, we aim for a nice rise and a fluffy and crumbly texture (unlike flat scones, which are tight and springy).

Although I will say that this recipe is easy and only requires 3 ingredients, I will make it very clear here in the step-by-step instructions so that you can get a great result even if it is your first attempt at scones.

Below I will mark where you need to be extra careful or do something in a certain way. So read carefully!

1. Prepare yourself

Start with preheat your oven up to 220 degrees Celsius (fan operation).

Prepare a baking pan by lining with parchment paper. I use a mold about 30 x 25 cm with a border of about 4 cm high. You don’t necessarily need a tray with rims, and a flat tray is fine, but I do feel that the scones cook a little more evenly with the rims.

Measure out the ingredients, making sure the measurements are correct.

This is the first step where you can get it wrong – by being a little haphazard when measuring ingredients.

Measure the flour by using a flat cup and running the back of a flat-bladed knife over the surface.

Measure out the cream and lemonade in a measuring cup or measuring cup, making sure the pitcher or cup is on a level surface, then check the measurements at eye level.

Also, make sure the lemonade and cream both come cold out of the fridge. The coolness is said to relax the gluten, resulting in a more tender texture.

2. Let’s bake

Okay, grab a mixing bowl and a butter knife.

Sift the flour into a bowl, then beat for 1 minute. This will help further aerate the flour. Remember, we want fluffy scones!

Make a well in the middle of the flour and add the (cold) cream. stir soft with the knife in the flour.

I can’t stress enough that the scone mix should be handled gently – right from the start.

Add (cold) lemonade and continue soft stir until the mixture holds together.

3. Cut out scones

Dump the mixture onto a floured bench and soft Shape into a rectangular shape about an inch and a half thick.

You want to work the mixture a bit to get it into that nice and even shape BUT WITHOUT KNEADING EXCESSIVELY the mixture. Too much work with the mixture will result in chewy scones.

And nobody likes hard scones!

Dust the blunt knife blade with flour and cut into 12 (3 x 4) squares.

Place a layer of parchment paper on the baking sheet.

Carefully round the edges of each square scone as you place it on the baking sheet.

Place each square close together (about 1cm apart) in the tray. This will help the scones rise evenly and high as they are forced to rise up and not out.

Next, smear the tops with some extra cream. This will help give the scones a soft and golden finish.

4. Bake scones

Place the sheet in the oven and bake for 15-17 minutes or until the tops begin to turn golden.

Remove from the oven and place the scones on a clean tea towel.

Wrap the scones in the tea towel to keep them warm and soft until ready to serve.

Serve lemonade scones

These scones are best served within minutes or hours of preparation and topped with jam and cream.

Nana Ling’s easy homemade strawberry jam goes perfectly with this treat.

Frequently asked questions about recipes

Q. How long do lemonade scones last?

These will keep for up to a couple of days and are best reheated in the microwave before serving.

However, they are best served 10 minutes to an hour after removing them from the oven.

Q. Do lemonade scones freeze well?

Scones freeze well. Allow to cool then place in an airtight container or freezer bag before placing in the freezer.

Thaw at room temperature and reheat in the microwave before serving.

Q. Can I make lemonade scones in the air fryer?

Yes. But cut the recipe in half and reduce the temperature to around 190 degrees Celsius.

Q. Who invented lemonade scones?

I can’t find the answer to the question, but most sources seem to indicate it was the Australian CWA. And that makes a lot of sense since they are the scone experts and would bake thousands every year.

Q. How does this recipe work?

The Magic of Lemonade!

Q. Do you have any other scones recipes?

Yes, I love to change up my scones recipes and try new ones, so I also have recipes for Cream Scones, Buttermilk Scones, and Butterscotch Pinwheel Scones.